Destinies and Responsibilities
by once-upon-a-potato
Summary: Korra arrives at Republic City the same time teenage Noatak runs away from home and goes to Republic City. They encounter each other and both are fascinated by the other. But their destinies weigh them down, tearing them apart as well. How will their fates intertwine as both struggles to achieve their own goals? One strives for peace, the other for equality. Noatak/Amon
1. Chapter 1: The Arrival

**First Fanfiction...Legend of Korra seemed like a good topic. Just a little story for your entertainment. I don't own anything.**

**In this story, Noatak is 19 and Korra is 17. I made them about the same age. So Noatak just ditched his family and Korra just arrived at Republic City.**

**This story begins right after Noatak bloodbended Yakone and asked Tarrlok to run away with him, which he refused. Then Noatak ran away alone. Hope you enjoy it.**

~~~Noatak's POV

Noatak ran through the icy blizzard but he didn't feel a thing at all; subconsciously bending all the snow and ice away from him.

He refused to think about Tarrlok or his father. They were good for nothing; useless, pathetic. He would not be dragged down by them. It's time he made his own path and not blindly follow his father.

He did not know how long he was out there in that storm, and how many deep footprints his heavy boots made in the snow. He didn't care; and nobody else cared either.

He continued running and disappeared into the howling night.

~~~Noatak's POV

Finally, Noatak slowed down when dawn came, though he did not allow himself to stop moving. A faint light shone over the icy ground, emitting a soft haze.

His legs were numb from running the whole night, but he did not pause to rest. He knew where he was going and he would not stop until he reached his goal.

Despite the remoteness of the Northern Water Tribe, Noatak knew quite a lot about the modern world on the other side of the world. He supposed it was because of Yakone's endless rants about his "heroic" deeds in Republic City. His thoughts swerved away from the memories and he continued walking. _I will forget about them. I am alone. I have no family. There was never even a family to begin with...not with that monster._

Noatak calculated briefly and realized that it would take him at least a few weeks to reach the outskirts of the Republic Nation on foot. With that in mind, his long strides quickened and he began to run again across the endlessly frozen land. Away from his past and his broken family.

~~~Korra's POV

Korra yawned and stretched until she felt her tendons would snap. She slowly eased back onto her bed and burrowed herself in the warm blanket. It was December, and Avatar or not, she could not obtain enough heat to block out the freezing air.

_Ugh, airbending lesson today again._

Korra sighed deeply and imagined meditating in this cold temperature. She shivered at the thought. No…no way in hell…she _had_ to get out of here today.

After contemplating the consequences, Korra decided it was worth it to ditch class. She hurriedly dressed herself and slid out the window. A blast of freezing air greeted her and she gasped at the intensity. Looking in all directions, she ran across the concrete of the Air Temple Island as silently as possible and jumped off the cliff at the edge of the island.

Korra grunted slightly when she landed on Naga, waiting in the water below the cliff. The familiar soft white fur surrounded her and she silently urged Naga to swim forward, towards the mainland of Republic City. She waterbended so a steady wave pushed Naga from behind and speeded up the swim across the wide expanse of the lake.

~~~Noatak's POV

Noatak finally reached Republic City.

He had changed his heavy water tribe clothes for the simple fashion of the city so he would not stand out and attract attention.

It was probably unwise to clearly reveal his face to the public for he resembled his father, who was the most wanted criminal of the city, but he needed information, for his father's version of the Republic City was probably outdated; and Noatak will not cover his face and hide away like a coward. There was _nothing _to be afraid of. He is a bloodbender, and also quite capable of killing.

He walked around calmly and blended in with the mass of people swarming around the street in the cold December morning. Noatak looked around and spotted a quiet little restaurant on the right side of the street. He seamlessly flowed through the crowd and stepped into the dimly lit restaurant.

He found a table in the far corner of the room and sat down. A waitress walked up to him slowly and asked what he wanted on the menu. Noatak noticed her unwavering gaze on his face and turned to look at her.

"Is something wrong?" He asked coldly. His blue eyes were equally icy.

The waitress blushed deeply and she stuttered, "W-Would you like to order?"

"Tell me something about Republic City." Noatak ignored her question.

The girl looked surprised, "Uh…probending."

Noatak narrowed his eyes, "Elaborate."

"You've got to be joking! You really don't know probending? The Fire Ferrets? The Wolfbats? My goodness!"

Noatak's blue eyes pierced into hers and he whispered menacingly, "_Elaborate,_ girl_._"

The waitress visibly shivered. She started explaining probending in a timid voice… the rules, the top probending teams, the probending arena. Noatak thought it was strange that the citizens of Republic City cared so much about these stupid bending matches.

"There is a match tonight; I suggest going if you're interested. I'll be there, too." The girl seemed to have regained her confidence, and she twitched her body suggestively.

He nodded slightly and dismissed her, without ordering anything. He pushed back his chair and walked toward the door, ignoring the look of disappointment on the girl's face.

"Probending, huh. I am quite curious…"

~~~Korra's POV

Naga galloped across the streets of Republic City, cutting a wide path through the crowded street. Korra loudly apologized to all the passing people as they glared back annoyingly.

She had no idea where to go now that she was actually here, for her only thoughts before were to escape the air temple island.

_Hmmm. Maybe a bowl of hot noodles to warm me up._

She stopped in front of a small restaurant and Naga obediently lied down outside while Korra ducked under the doorway flaps and entered.

_Smack!_

She slammed headfirst into something hard and almost fell over from the impact. A hand shot out and grasped her arm, and Korra regained her balance, her head buzzing. She looked up to apologize but was struck speechless.

It was a boy who was about her own age, perhaps a bit older. A very handsome one, too, though he looked bitter and cold. But what made Korra dumbstruck the most was his _hair._ It looked…exactly like hers.

"Apologies." He released Korra and stepped out of the restaurant.

She remained at doorway and looked wonderingly after him. Something about the boy captured her interest, though there really wasn't anything peculiar about him. But his hair…was he a water tribe member? He also looked way too calculating and menacing for his age. Korra shrugged. _It's not my problem. We'll probably never meet again. _She went inside to have some noodles.

**A/N: Review? I'd like to hear your thoughts.**


	2. Chapter 2: Beside the Lake

**Second chapter! Please bear with me...I know the start of stories are usually boring as hell, but please continue reading! I promise it will get better(:**

**I might not update for a while... but I'll try to write more over the break.**

**And please review! Thank you.**

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Legend of Korra or any of its characters.

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~~~Korra's POV

"Laaadies aaand gentlemen! Glad to see so many faces here for the semi-finals tonight between the Fire-Ferrets and the Stallions!(sorry I couldn't think of a better name) I promise you, this will be the most enthralling match yet! Let me briefly tell you about these two fantastic teams…The Fire-Ferrets…" The broadcaster's animated voice boomed around the probending building.

Korra couldn't stop herself from grinning. Her body was quivering with excitement, all thoughts regarding Tenzin's severe warnings pushed out of her head. She flowed with the massive crowd entering the probending arena, impatient and jittery. Needless to say, the Fire-Ferrets was her favorite probending team.

Twisting and ducking, Korra tried to make her way through the crowds to get good seats, almost wishing she could earth-bend all the people out of her way. After about twenty minutes with a good amount of pushing and squeezing, she finally reached the platform and found herself in the very front, right behind the metal railing, having a perfect view on the huge arena. _Huh, lucky me._

The two teams rose up onto the platform amidst the cheers and yells from the crazy audience. They waved and bowed to the crowds while eyeing their opponents challengingly. Korra cupped her hands around her mouth and cheered loudly for the Fire-Ferrets. Bolin, the earthbender looked her way and blew her a kiss. _How cute. _Korra laughed and waved back excitedly.

On the signal from the referee, the match began. Mako, the Fire Ferrets' firebender, jumped into action immediately. He attacked violently but every move was precise and perfect. Bolin, with his steady stance, sent the clay disks whirling through the air to the opponents; his aim straight and true. The Fire Firrets took every chance to push the Stallions back. The Stallions were struggling to keep things under control, and the Fire Ferrets were steadily advancing. Korra gripped the metal railing tightly, her eyes traveling back and forth across the platform intently, her heart almost jumping out of her throat.

The match was quite intense. The broadcaster's comments were almost drowned out by the deafening cheers from the audience. Korra shouted along with everyone else, pumping her fist excitedly in the air when all three of the Stallions were knocked off the platform. She wished she could fly down there and join the match. The exhilaration in the air was almost tangible.

From all the wild movements and thrilled yells around her, a still form caught the corner of Korra's eye. Confused, she turned her head and looked to her side. A few people down, among the exhilarated and crazed fans, a boy stood quietly. He observed the probending match expressionlessly, unfazed by all the ecstasy and excited yells around him.

With a jolt Korra realized it was the same boy she bumped into in front of the noodle shop this morning…that strange boy with the cold blue eyes and the calculating face. His hairstyle, one of a water tribe member, still mystified Korra. She stopped jumping up and down and instead stared at the boy, mesmerized by his stillness and unreadable expression. No…not entirely unreadable. There was, unbelievably-Korra thought-a faint look of disgust on his face. Korra shook her head incredulously and with a great amount of effort, tore her eyes away from the boy to continue watching the match. Strangely, the probending attacks didn't captivate her anymore, and she lost interest in watching it. No longer excited, Korra felt lost among the cheering crowd, and there was a slight emptiness in her that she had never known before. She was suddenly extremely frustrated.

Korra turned her head again to find the boy, but he was gone.

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~~~Noatak's POV

Noatak's icy eyes traveled up and down the arena, following every move of the probenders.

_What sloppy and ill-planned attacks. _He observed the players with contempt, disgusted with their way of bending.

He was right about this whole affair. There couldn't possibly be anything more foolish than probending. _Looks like the citizens of Republic City have too much time on their hands_. Noatak detached himself from the metal railing and walked toward the nearest exit. He was sick of smelling the sweat of those screaming people.

Outside, the cool night air of December was refreshing, and his annoyance lessened a bit. The distant yells dulled as he walked further and further away from the probending arena. The golden lights from the building reflected onto the vast expanse of the lake, making it shimmer. Ahead, the city lights blinked and the towering buildings of Republic City stood silently. Everything was so, so unfamiliar. Noatak missed the snow and ice and the deep blue ocean. He missed the freezing air, the heavy furry clothing, the pale yellow sun in the blue-gray sky. He missed the sound of crunching ice under his boots, the way he breathed out swirls of white steam, the way every element in his environment obeyed him.

Noatak stopped beside the dark lake and looked up at the silver moon and stars scattered across the indigo sky. His blue eyes were distant, and his heart yearned for the ice-covered grounds and the snowy blizzards of the North Pole.

The accumulating voices from the direction of the arena indicated the probending match was over. The people streamed out of the grand entrance noisily, laughing and chatting cheerfully. Their mirthful atmosphere did not reach the quiet boy standing beside the lake, lost in his memories. Noatak stayed in his position, long after the departure of the crowds.

It was quiet and calm. Even the faint breeze blowing across the water was hushed. But the peacefulness was soon interrupted.

_Splash! _The sound came from somewhere to his far left. Noatak blinked and snapped out of his reverie. Alert now, he turned quickly to his left and moved silently toward the sound, keeping close to the lake. There was more splashing, but it sounded controlled, the water rhythmically dipping in the lake, swirling around on the surface.

_A water bender?_

Noatak stopped the instant he saw the waterbender. It was a girl. A dark-skinned girl with light blue eyes. She was wearing the clothing of a water tribe member, and had a hairstyle similar to his own. She looked happy, bending the water into shapes and twisting the thin ribbons of water into intricate designs. Noatak felt a slight sense of approval looking at the girl's steady stance and graceful bending movements. She looked like a true waterbender. The girl sent a great wave of water shooting into the sky, then pulled it down, fanning the water out across the surface of the lake.

She gently drew another stream of water out of the lake and twirled it around, flicking water droplets everywhere like a little child. Watching her, Noatak felt a faint smile tug at his lips. It felt strange. He couldn't remember the last time he smiled. Without thinking, Noatak deftly lifted his hand and sent a thin stream of water toward the churning design the girl was now creating. The stream grew longer and longer and snaked into the pattern, weaving together with the rest. The girl gasped in surprise and her design melted away, splashing back into the lake. Her head snapped to her right and her blue eyes widened when she saw the tall, lean boy standing at the water's edge, sending his stream of water back into the lake as well. They stared at each other and neither one moved. Light, cheerful azure eyes gazed into icy, sharp blue ones. She seemed to recognize him, but he couldn't recall where he had met her before.

The girl finally broke the silence. "Beautiful night, isn't it?"

After a brief hesitation, Noatak replied curtly, "I suppose." His voice had the faintest hint of bitterness.

"Who are you? What's your name, waterbender?" She asked.

This time, the hesitation lasted for a very long time. The girl didn't waver under his piercing gaze and waited for his answer. There was something about her…she looked so confident, so proud, as if she knew she could handle anything.

"My name is…" Noatak hesitated. He contemplated carefully. He had to come up with something. It was crucial no one discovered his real identity. Ever.

"Amon." The strange name slipped out of his lips. "My name is…Amon." The moment Noatak uttered the name, he felt something shift deep within him. It felt like…he was being reborn; like his _destiny _has been changed, like all the broken pieces inside him were altered to create something new.

The girl quirked her eyebrows. "What a strange name…Amon…"

The name sounded menacing. Noatak liked it. He had always despised his own name. _Noatak._ He hated the way Yukone called the name commandingly, making him feel inferior to him; and he hated the way Yukone always linked his name with a stabbing insult. His thoughts swerved away from his father.

"And who are you?" He asked out of politeness. He couldn't have cared less who she was. That is, until he knew who she was.

The girl straightened her back proudly and beamed, her azure eyes sparkling.

"I am the Avatar."

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**A/N: **"and you gotta deal with it!" I was so tempted to put that in, but it would ruin the seriousness...lol

again, please review! and thank you so much for reading.


	3. Chapter 3: Curiosity, Nothing More

**Chapter 3 is finally up! Very sorry for the long wait~~**

**And thank you so much **Cindz Cindz **and Equalist l3itch for the reviews! Greatly appreciated.**

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Korra's POV~~~

Amon was utterly silent. He just stared at her with his icy blue eyes, his expression once again unreadable. Korra looked at him expectantly, waiting for him to challenge her like everyone else did when she first told them. But he never did.

Amon finally lowered his eyes, and looked thoughtful. "The Avatar…I see."

"What? Do you not believe me? I'll prove it to you!" Korra's eyes flashed.

The boy looked slightly amused. "No…I do not doubt that you are the Avatar."

"Oh." Korra paused. "Okay, then. Uh…I'm Korra. From the Southern Water Tribe." She was a bit disappointed by Amon's reaction. _Amon_…She couldn't get over the sinister feeling that name invoked.

Amon looked up again, his eyes chips of ice; though she now suspected that this was their normal appearance. _Guess he's not the friendly type._

He tilted his head slightly. "A pleasure to meet you, _Korra._"

Korra found herself wanting Amon to say her name again. She mentally smacked herself.

"Do you have the power to…take away someone's bending?" His gaze was unmoving, extracting.

Korra looked at him in a mix of horror and curiosity, but she didn't have a chance to reply.

"Korra!" Somewhere far behind her, she felt a strong gust of wind. Tenzin's angry voice rang out, disturbing the serenity of the lakeside. The sudden gust of wind whipped Amon's dark hair across his handsome face. Korra's gaze held Amon's for a split second. Then he was gone, leaping over the side of the bridge and diving into the lake (in case you don't remember the geography, there was a bridge that led to the arena). Not a single drop of water splashed up. _Hmm. He's quite the agile one, isn't he…and a very good waterbender._ Korra slowly turned back and braced herself against Tenzin, who was stomping up to her and shaking with anger. _Grounded for sure this time._

On the way back to the Air Temple Island, Tenzin's scolding voice became a soft background hum to Korra. She nodded and apologized randomly, but all she could think about was the water tribe boy with cold blue eyes. She couldn't get Amon out of her head. He captivated her. He looked dangerous and calculating, yet Korra was attracted to him nonetheless. She had never been so intrigued by anyone before, and this new feeling was tiresome and confusing. The frustration rose again. _What is wrong with me? I'm the Avatar! I have better things to worry about. I'm just…I'm just…curious in him. Yes. That's it. Curiosity. Nothing more._

* * *

Amon's POV~~~

Amon swam through the lake, deep below the surface. He let the cold water wash over him, calming his thoughts and the tension in his body.

Never once had he been so preoccupied with a single person before, let alone a girl. He tried to think about other things, but the truth was…there really wasn't anything else to think about. All his memories were left behind at the North Pole, buried deep beneath the thick layers of snow, and he had no intention of digging them back up. Amon clenched his fists in annoyance. Her fearless azure eyes kept appearing in his mind.

He resurfaced and waterbended himself onto one of the docks along the edge of Republic City. With a swift, habitual motion, he pulled the water out of his clothes and hair and flung them back into the lake. He wandered aimlessly along the docks.

_Korra…so that's her name. She's really not that special, despite being the Avatar… so why can't I stop thinking about her? _He wanted to meet her again, but at the same time he _didn't_ want to meet her again. He didn't want to get any closer to her. He will not, in this lifetime or the next, care for anyone ever again. Love betrays you in the end…_like Tarrlok. He chose to stay with that monster. _Amon swept a hand across his face, trying to erase his thoughts.

_That girl. _Amon thought irritatingly. _What vexing thoughts she brings forth. It's only because she is the Avatar that I think about her. Yes… because she is the Avatar. Nothing more._

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Amon's POV~~~

His feet took him back into the city. He needed to find a place to stay.

There were still a lot of people on the streets and in the various shops and restaurants, chatting excitedly about the probending match. It seemed that the Fire-Ferrets won.

Farther down the street, there appeared to be a commotion. None of the passersby seemed bothered by it, but it seemed to Amon they were afraid to take actions. Amon wondered what it was, though he didn't speed up his pace. As he got closer, the argument became more decipherable.

"P-please, sir! Th-th-that vase, it's not for sale! Please give it back to me, i-it's very important! I'm begging you." There was an aged shopkeeper being pushed onto the ground by three guys, trying to take back his item from them.

"Shut up, you old man!" One of the guys kicked him back down.

Amon frowned slightly. _They're playing…dirty…unfair...three guys against one old man? How sickening._

"Hey! This one here looks pretty…Old man, why don't you give it to us for free? Along with that one, too." A burly looking man picked another vase off the shelves in the shop. The shopkeeper jumped up in panic.

"No! Stop!"

One of them stepped up and gripped his collar, creating a ball of flame in his other hand and lifting it up to his face. "Listen…You speak another word, I'll burn this shop down to _nothing_."

_Ah, I see…the nonbender citizens are afraid of these suppressing benders. _Amon observed as the neighboring shops started to close up, having no intention of helping the vase shop owner and not wanting to be targeted themselves.

The shopkeeper whimpered from the flame as the man dumped him on the ground. The three men laughed.

"How pathetic…we'll be taking the vases." One of the men smirked.

They turned to leave, but found their way blocked by a handsome boy with sharp eyes.

"Give the vases back to that man." Amon's voice was colder than ice, his eyes piercing into the men.

The one in front of him looked surprised for a second. Then he sneered. "And what if I don't? Huh? What'r you gonna do, then?" Upon his words, he dropped the vase he was holding, exaggerating his actions. The pretty vase hit the ground and shattered into pieces. "Oops!" The man looked smugly at the boy standing in front of him. Amon narrowed his eyes.

Then Amon smiled slightly with a hint of disdain. It was at the same time vicious and calculating, and it sent shivers down the men's backs, at the same time infuriating them.

"Who do you think you are? I'll wipe that smirk right off your face!" The firebender advanced and hurled a fireball confidently at Amon, eager to show off his bending skills.

Amon looked at him in contempt. _Disgusting. I never thought I'd be so sickened by a bender._

He dodged the attack easily. The burly looking man pressed on and lifted a block of earth from the ground and threw it towards the unruffled boy. Amon dashed away from them nimbly and drew a large amount of water from a nearby cistern. He lashed out his hand and the water shot toward the earth block, turning into sharp pieces of ice and slicing it into multiple pieces. The broken blocks dropped harmlessly on the ground.

The three men were fuming now as they approached Amon together, flinging their elements at him one after the other, all cockiness gone. Amon dodged them all, taunting the men at the same time with his cold smile. After a while, deciding he had had enough fun, the water tribe boy pointed his hands at the threesome and curled his fingers upward. Suddenly, all three men stopped bending and clutched their necks with their hands, retching. Their faces were turning blue as they dropped to their knees. Amon was merciless and continued to draw water out of their bodies. A thin stream of water was being drawn out from each of their mouths. Amon thought with faint amusement that they were beginning to look like dry old men. He walked towards the men slowly and continued bending water out of them as they looked at him in pure terror. _Now that's a better expression._ Amon knelt down in front of the men and he heard a faint, desperate, "Pleeease. W-we're sorry." The boy remained emotionless.

"I…really…" he leaned a bit closer, and the near-dying men shivered, "…_hate people like you." _He released them from his bending and they dropped to the ground, motionless, though still alive. Amon stood up and walked away; he never once looked back. _I wonder if Republic City is filled with scoundrels like them._

Meanwhile, the aged shopkeeper shakily swept up the broken vase and looked thoughtfully after the young man. _That one brings trouble…and...perhaps hope, too…for this wretched and unjust city._

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**A/N: **Thank you so much for reading! Please review :)


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